Fashion’s next generation offered a glimpse of what comes next as the ten 2026 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalists gathered for an evening celebrating material innovation and the creative possibilities of animal-free design.
Held at the Warren Street Hotel on Thursday, the evening began with remarks from Nicole Phelps, Global Director of Vogue Runway and Vogue Business, followed by Kitty Block, President and CEO of Humane World for Animals.
Guests included Anna Wintour, Michael Kors and Lance LePere, and Lisa Love, as well as Friends of the CFDA Yao King, Dr. Macrene Alexiades, John Imah, and Johana Hernandez and 2026 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund judges Chloe Malle, Christopher John Rogers, Eva Chen, and Yumi Shin. They joined the finalists and their muses to discover how unexpected materials could become fashion.
The challenge invited each finalist to create one look, or an equivalent body of work, incorporating at least two innovative materials, exploring bio-based textiles and alternatives to animal-derived materials. Each received a $10,000 stipend, access to materials and educational resources, and introductions to leading suppliers.
Soybeans became an alternative to cashmere, fermented grains offered a substitute for leather, and orange peels and corn found new expression as alternatives to silk and fur. In all, the challenge featured 14 material innovators offering alternatives to leather, fur, wool, cashmere, down, silk, and diamonds, opening new creative avenues while reducing reliance on animal-derived materials.
“Rather than limiting their creativity, the alternative materials the finalists were charged with using seemed to open them up to new possibilities,” said Phelps. “Designing and producing more responsibly isn’t a burden—it’s an opportunity.”
The ten finalists are Aisling Camps, Amir Taghi, Terrence Zhou of Bad Binch TongTong, Emily Dawn Long, Jamie Haller, Julia Ferentinos of Juju Vera, Zane Li of Lii, George Inaki of Milamore, Claire Sullivan of Miss Claire Sullivan, and Zoe Gustavia Anna Whalen.
Joining them for the evening were their muses: Agnese Furlanis, Arlenis Sosa, Mya Ghorbani, Helen Hong, Meadow Walker, Marnie Herald, Ayak Veronica, Adarni Karina, Alix Vernet, and Gabrielle Richardson.
The evening continued with an impromptu birthday moment as guests came together to sing “Happy Birthday” to finalist Aisling Camps.
“The future of fashion is being shaped by innovators who are proving that compassion and creativity belong together,” said Block. “These animal-free, bio-based materials show what is possible when designers embrace innovation. Humane World for Animals is proud to partner with the CFDA and Vogue on this year’s Fashion Fund to help highlight and elevate solutions that are better for animals and pave the way for a more humane fashion landscape. We are excited to support the designers leading this transformation, today and in the future.”
Participating material companies included Amadeu, beLEAF, BioFluff, BioFur, Ecopel, KD New York, Kelptex, Lab-Grown Leather, Muush, Orange Fiber, Ponda, TENCEL, Uncaged, and VEGEA.
The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund is generously supported by Bloomingdale’s, Humane World for Animals, Instagram, Nordstrom, and Vogue.
The evening offered a preview of the finalists’ ingenuity ahead of the announcement of the 2026 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund winner and two runners-up on October 20, 2026.
Hero image: Lance LePere, Nicole Phelps, Michael Kors
